Summer residents are increasingly noticing that the crop, which gives great hope, begins to rot before reaching technical maturity. The most common cause is fungal diseases, which are widespread everywhere. The primary source is a diseased specimen that has overwintered under or on the plant. Therefore, it is important to know what to do if pear fruits rot on the tree. Timely measures will save the tree and the harvest.
Possible causes of rotting pears
Novice gardeners do not understand why crops crack and then rot. This is all due to diseases affecting the plant. Most often they occur:
- If the diseased specimen overwintered in the tree trunk or on the plant.
- Trees can become infected through cracks in overripe pears. They can be caused by scab or insect punctures. Spores enter through cracks, and decay processes begin inside, affecting the entire pear.
- In hot and humid summers, spores form on mummified pears, which are carried to nearby plantings by wind and insects. Thus, in a short time, all fruit crops can become infected with the disease.
Scab on fruits
If the fruits turn black, but remain edible and do not lose their taste, then the reason is scab. A sure sign is the appearance of an olive-colored coating on the foliage, which turns brown over time.
As they ripen, the skin of the fruit becomes covered with numerous dots, which spoil their presentation, but inside they remain strong.
Moniliosis or fruit rot
New varieties of pears are famous for their good keeping quality and long shelf life. But if the disease affects the plant, the fruits will rot faster than they have time to ripen. The main reason is a microscopic fungus that can penetrate inside the pear through a small scratch. Moniliosis can affect pears and other fruit plants.
Fungal spores are easily spread by wind and insects. It develops best in warmth and moisture. Direct sunlight is the enemy of the disease. Therefore, moniliosis successfully develops in a thickened crown. The disease affects only mature specimens. The disease does not develop on the tree trunk. Therefore, if black spots appear on the fruits, they must be removed and destroyed immediately.
Old trees
Old trees that have exhausted their strength can cause pears to rot. The process begins to happen from the tail, when they are still hanging on the tree. When technical maturity is reached, the middle will be rotten.
Adviсe:
- If the affected pears are not removed in time, the rot will penetrate into healthy fruits through cracks on the surface.
- It is important to promptly remove specimens that have reached technical maturity, since overripe fruits burst, thereby giving fungal spores a chance to penetrate inside. And as a result, after a short time, the pears rot inside and then wither.
codling moths
They are among the most active pests. Their food is fruit seeds. In the process of eating, the insect infects the pears with caterpillars. The insect moves inside the pulp, thereby causing cracking of the fruit, through which infection enters. The pear becomes sick, rots and changes color. As a result of the disease, dark specimens become unsuitable for food.
Weevils
Pests live on branches. These small insects damage:
- petals;
- flowers;
- stamens;
- kidneys;
- buds;
- pistils;
- leaves;
- young shoots.
If the fruits turn black, the infection may be caused by a weevil.
Varieties resistant to moniliosis
Efforts should be made to plant disease-resistant varieties. Which include:
- Oktyabrskaya;
- Saint Germain;
- Cheremshin;
- Aurora;
- Conference;
- Augustine;
- Trembitu.
But such a variety has not yet been bred so that it is completely protected from infection. Therefore, the garden should be treated regularly.
Harvest conservation measures
Control measures can be different, everyone can choose the most suitable option for themselves.
Chemical treatment
The plant is treated a month before technical maturity.When the fruits are ripe and begin to rot, processing is prohibited. Suitable drugs:
- "Home";
- "Polychomus";
- Bordeaux mixture;
- "Oxychom";
- copper sulfate.
If time is missed and rot is noticed during ripening, then it can be treated with the drug “Fitosporin”. They are treated weekly until the harvest is complete.
At the first signs of illness, Zircon will help. Processing begins as soon as the first rotten specimen is discovered. This will help save healthy fruits from damage.
Folk remedies
At an early age, simple means that do not harm the environment will help the plant cope with rot:
- If the fruits begin to dry out and rot from the inside, then citric acid (40 g) and iron sulfate (25 g) diluted in water (10 l) will help. The prepared solution is stored for no more than 2 weeks. Spray the pear when rot is detected.
- A solution of soap (50 g), water (9 l) and ash (500 g) will help you cope with pests.
- A good remedy against rot is colloidal sulfur.
If the disease has become widespread, it is better to use chemicals.
Proper care
If the fruits dry out and rot, then the main reason lies in illiterate care and non-compliance with basic rules. If the tree is old and the cause of rot is only this, then the crop is harvested in an unripe form. Then they lay it out in the basement on a layer of newspaper. This event will help the fruits ripen and not be affected by rot.
If moniliosis develops on a plant, then it is necessary to carry out the following in the autumn:
- Sanitary pruning. Remove all branches, fruits, and leaves affected by the disease.
- The carrion is collected and buried in the ground. Minimum depth 1.5 meters.
- Rotten specimens should not be thrown into the compost pit.The bacteria have good survival rate and will return to the plant at the first feeding.
Diseases are spread by parasitic pests. They carry spores and infect fruits from the inside. To eliminate the disease, regularly scheduled treatment of plantings with the necessary preparations is carried out. A healthy tree resists infections more easily, so proper and timely feeding will help the tree to be strong. Weeds should be removed regularly. To reduce the number of weedings, the area around the trunk is mulched.
Helper plants
To protect against pests, it is recommended to plant around the pear:
- Marigold. They repel many pests with their smell. Also, decoctions and infusions are prepared from the flowers, which are used to treat the plant against rot.
- Codling moths avoid trees near which wormwood and elderberry grow.
- Mint.
- Sagebrush.
- Thyme.
Properly distributed repellent plants will help improve the health of plantings. Using them on your site in combination with preventive measures, you will be able to achieve a high yield of healthy fruits.
Mistakes of gardeners and prevention of garden rot
Common mistakes:
- The fallen carrion is not removed. It is necessary to collect and destroy fallen and infected fruits daily. They are a source of disease that is easily transmitted by pests.
- The entire harvest is not harvested. Overripe fruits remaining on the branches are easily infected with fungus and are a source of disease, which will spread to the new crop next year. Therefore, it is necessary to remove ripe fruits on time.
For prevention, it is necessary to protect the plant from pests and monitor the condition of the crown, avoiding its thickening.
